Once Around the Merry Go Round
by xKeiriax
Summary: Harry gets a new bodyguard. A Vampire. With a soul. HPAngel crossover. Slash.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Not mine. Oh Yeah, Not Mine. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and various other companies such as Bloomsbury, Scholastics, and Warner Brothers. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Angel belongs to Joss and whoever else.

**Author's Notes:** Okay, this is my first fic I've written in a while. Please, let me know what you all think. I just want to say, this isn't going to be like other crossovers. I hope, at least! lol. I'm NOT going to have Angel or Buffy/Willow if I bring them in, be all knowing and all powerful. I hate fics like that. Angel and/or Buffy/Willow/OR Dawn won't be killing Voldemort. I don't think they could. I won't make them weak either, don't worry. Nor am I going to bash, anyone other than Fudge. I want to say now, I love Snape and both Malfoy's. I'm pro-slytherin, I guess. Oh. since I stated that, no I won't be bashing Ron or Hermione! Ron of course will never like the Slytherins. That's why we love him!

**AN 2: You decide Draco/Harry or Angel/Harry? **

**AN 3: Who do you want in this story from Angel and maybe BtVS? Buffy, Spike, Gunn, Fred, Wes, Willow, Dawn, Xander, Giles? I won't bring them all in. 2 maybe 3 or 4. Depends on YOU! Not sure how I'd bring back Fred. Some ideas if that happens might be good. lol.**

**AN 4: Revised as of 04/11/09**

Prologue

It hurts. Scalding and glacial at the same time. Like fire under his skin. A slow pounding that begins at the scar on his forehead and spreads out to overtake the whole of his skull.

Slowly, he lowers his head between his knees, gripping chucks of his hair tightly in his balled up hands. He concentrates on breathing. Tries to ignore the feelings, forcing their way through his mind. Anger. Rage. Feelings that don't belong to him. He squeezes his eyes shut, fruitlessly hoping to block out the barrage of images, invading his mind. _He hates this._ This lack of control over his own body. Hopelessly, he wishes things were different. That he wasn't the Boy-Who-Lived. That the war didn't depend on him. A sad, lonely boy. _He wishes-- _but he knows it's useless, hoping and wishing for things that will never be.

So, he makes himself focus. _Suck it up_. Pays attention to the feelings that don't belong to him, watches the scenes play out inside his head. Than he reaches for a quill and writes it all down. The location for the next Death Eater attack. The real location not the ruse that the Death Eaters are planning to throw off the Ministry of Magic and the Order of the Phoenix, to keep them all off there collective bases.

When he's done writing he taps the insignia on the parchment with his wand. He watches the ink fade into the parchment, not unlike it did in his second year with a certain diary that he'd rather not remember. An unpleasant reminder. The reason he hated using the magical parchment, but as Dumbledore had explained when he had first given the parchment and quill to him, it really was the best way for him to get information to the Order quickly and securely.

Harry couldn't fault Dumbledore, though, a pensieve wouldn't have worked, for the simple reason that he was at the Dursley's for the summer. A sudden sharp spike of pain in his scar, brought him out of his thoughts. The pain was ebbing away now, but every now and than Harry would feel a jolt of pain. As if Voldemort was trying to kill him one tiny stab at a time.

Harry stood up slowly, trying not to aggravate his pounding head. He headed for the door of his bedroom. Quietly, he opened the door, so as not to wake his sleeping relatives. He didn't want them to know he was sneaking asprin. Harry futilely wished he could send for more headache relieving potion, but he knew the rules. Creeping slowly through the dark hall he turned the knob on the bathroom door and snuck inside. Once Harry had the door closed he flipped on the light and crossed to the mirror.

Swallowing two of the pills he placed the bottle back into the cabinet and closed the mirror. Harry was suddenly caught by his own reflection. His pale skin made his lightning bolt shaped scar stand out. Touching it lightly he flinched. It was bruised and swollen. Sighing, he scanned the rest of his reflection. He was far too thin and the dark circles under his eyes were glaringly obvious. Proof that he hadn't been sleeping. He knew that he didn't look healthy, the Dursley's hadn't been feeding him much. Mostly he ate what he was able to salvage when he cleared the table during breakfast and dinner. He knew his appearance was going to be a cause for worry, when he got to Grimmauld Place later in the summer.

Turning from the mirror he rubbed at his eyes with his fists. Sighing again, he turned off the light and quietly opened the door back up. He crept back to his room and pulled the desk chair up to the window, where he set with a blanket wrapped around himself. Laying his head against the window, he watched the stars as they twinkled, never noticing the figure standing in the darkness under a tree, watching him.

_to be continued..._


	2. Chapter 1

AN: This is what happens when you don't plan out your fics in advance. haha. Okay, first of all I am SO sorry that this took so long. Second I finally know where I'm going with this fic. So, a few minor changes. I was going to have this be post NFA for Angel, but than I realized that wouldn't quite work. Which means it's now set in Season 3 or 4... before Connor. I love him, but that's for another fic.

AN 2: Revised as of 04/11/09

Chapter 1:

Harry felt himself slowly drifting off to sleep when he was suddenly jerked awake by a noise downstairs. Listening for a moment he realized that it was just the television. Probably Dudley watching late night porn, while his parents were asleep.

Laying his head against the window again, he turned his attention outside. Quickly, he jumped out of his seat.

Standing around the perimeter of the Dursley's house, right where the wards ended, were Death Eaters. Death Eater, after Death Eater all lined up in a perfect circle. Twenty maybe thirty that he could see. Harry's heart started racing, they look to have encircled the entire house.

_How did he not know this was going to happen? _

Crack

Yet another Death Eater falling in line. No. Wait. This one stepped closer to the wards than the others.

Harry felt his breath begin to shorten. The shock is wearing off. He's beginning to panic. His eyes widen as he watches the Death Eater raise his wand, the spell arches like lightning towards the wards.

Pain

His knees buckle. His hands grip the window sill, so hard his knuckles turn white. He clenches his teeth, it feels as if every cell in his body is being lit on fire. Another flash of light hitting the wards and he feels another wave of pain. It's not letting up. Again. Again. Again.

He can hear screaming now, distantly he realizes that it must be him.

Magic gushes out of the floor boards and he feels white hot pain suddenly race from the tips of his toes to the ends of his hair. It flows through out his body and than it fades. It turns darker. His vision begins to grow dim and he feels himself hitting the cold wooden floor.

Harry is already unconscious by the time the Dursley's are woken up by sound of there son screaming. He is still unconscious as an all to familiar green light arches toward them and they too hit the ground.

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He felt numb. He could feel his body, but he couldn't feel the pain that he knew was lurking just beneath the surface.

_Pain Potion_.

With all the times Harry had been in the hospital wing he'd know the effects anywhere. This however, doesn't smell like the hospital wing at Hogwarts. He knew that too. Just like he knows how many cracks are on the ceiling and how the sun light shines in through the windows in the early morning. He can't feel the heat of sun light shining in his eyes now though. _It _must_ be day light, it was dark when I went to slee..._

It was a sharp intake of breath that let the other occupant in the room know he was awake. Opening his eyes, Harry looked into the solemn face of his Headmaster and knew it hadn't been a dream.

"How are you feeling Harry?" Dumbledore questioned softly. Harry noted absently that his twinkle was missing. "Not in any pain I hope?"

"No." Harry replied with a slight shake of his head. Leaning further back into the soft pillows under his head, he took in the unfamiliar room. "Where are we?"

"The Hyperion." Off Harry's blank look he continued. "America. Los Angeles to be exact."

Frowning slightly Harry couldn't think of any reason why they would be in _America_.

Understanding Harry's unspoken question, Dumbledore moved to sit on the edge of Harry's bed. He seemed almost wary as he gently laid his gnarled hands over Harry's.

Startled, Harry looked up at the man he'd begun to think of as a grandfather.

"There is something I have not told you Harry. Something, that perhaps, I should have told you from the beginning." The old man looks abashed, as he continues. "You have an uncle."

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**AN: **hehe. How many of you thought the figure watching Harry's room in the last chapter was Angel :P It wasn't.

**AN2: Sorry!!! So very sorry that it took sooo long to get out!**


	3. Chapter 2

_"There is something I have not told you Harry. Something, that perhaps, I should have told you from the beginning." The old man looks abashed, as he continues. "You have an uncle."_

_-------------------_

His eyes never left Dumbledore's as Harry moved to sit up. His face oddly blank, he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing would come out. Suddenly he shifted his eyes to his hands. He stared at the old mans hands covering his. Slowly his eyes move back up to meet his Professor's. With all the quickness of a snake Harry yanked his hands out from underneath the old man. It's not until he's across the room looking out the window that he notices the pain in his limbs. The pain potion must be wearing off.

Suddenly feeling like he is going to cry Harry stares down at the street far below the window. He can't stop his mind from racing. A thousand scenarios going through his head, he wonders briefly if this one will like him. He's not stupid, he knows what Dumbledore is alluding to. He knows now, the Dursley's are dead.

Harry's eyes fill with tears, though he doesn't know why he's crying. He expected there deaths from the moment he saw the Death Eaters outside the Dursley's home. He had known his luck was running out. There was no way they were going to show up without a sure fire way of getting through the wards. Harry worries suddenly if Voldemort has found a way to control the visions. _How else would he not have seen this coming? _

Taking a deep breath the dark haired boy wipes the tears away with his shirt sleeve. Once he feels under control he turns to face the headmaster.

"How did they get through the wards?" _One thing at a time_, he thinks.

He feels as if Dumbledore is sizing him up, almost like he's weighing his choices. _Dumbledore must be off his game_, Harry thinks bitterly. It isn't often the wizened Headmaster, is this open. He doesn't know if he can even trust _that_ though. He knows better. He knows that every look, every word and every movement the man makes is calculated. _That's okay_, Harry thinks with an inward smirk. _Two can play that game. _He feels a twinge of guilt. This man is the closest thing he has to a Grandfather, after all.

"We do not yet know." After a long moment of silence Dumbledore stands and moves to open the door. "Come, lets introduce you to your Uncle. I think you'll like him."

_Wrong answer_.

Feeling shocked and annoyed, he follows the Headmaster out the door into a long dark hallway. _Honestly, what else did he expect? _He feels like fighting this one, but he knows better by now. He is just going to have to get the information him self. Just because Dumbledore doesn't feel as if he can handle it doesn't mean he has to lie down and take it anymore. It's about time he started putting his Slytherin qualities to work.

---------------------

The further he moves down the dimly lit hallway the more nervous he gets. Harry has always hated not knowing what to expect. To distract him self the young wizard forces his thoughts away from the up coming meeting. Unfortunately, his thought process takes a darker turn when he remembers _why_ he's walking down an unfamiliar hallway in an unfamiliar building in an _even more _unfamiliar city. Trying to shake those thoughts away he focuses on the seemingly endless hallway he's walking through. It's not well kept, but far better looking than Grimmauld Place was. Harry quickly shoves away the feelings _that_ thought brings up.

"The Hyperion is a hotel?" Harry questions as they pass door number 206.

"It was." Dumbledore replies the twinkle back in his eye. "I actually stayed here once back when it was still operating."

They come upon a staircase leading down into a lobby. Harry stops at the top of the stairs, suddenly reluctant to go any further.

"Harry." Gently Dumbledore puts a hand on the young boy's shoulder. Feeling very young Harry looks up into the other wizards face. He doesn't like his emotions flip-flopping back and forth like this, he wishes he could settle on one feeling. His mind knows he can't trust the Headmaster, he has been lied to too many times to just blindly trust the old wizard. _Isn't that what he's doing now though? _His heart, however is another story.

With a sigh he starts down the stairs the Headmaster following closely behind.

-----------------------------

Harry didn't know what to expect when he came upon the little office that was overcrowded with people. He recognizes some, others he doesn't. Mad eye is standing guard just on the inside of the door, Kingsley is talking with a skinny brown haired woman dressed in muggle clothes. Snape, Harry notes disdainfully, leant against the wall on the far side of the room. The dark haired man is talking to two men dressed in wizarding robes. The man, Harry doesn't recognize backs away from Snape as if he doesn't like what he's hearing. As he moves Harry gets a good look at the third man in there group. It's Remus, Harry notices with relief. He doesn't get to wonder what there intense conversation is about, because the door closes with a bang and everyone in the is suddenly looking at Harry.

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_2 Months later_

"Harry!" A voice yelled out in annoyance. "When I tell you to stay in the car, I mean _stay _in the car."

Harry looked up as he waved the cloud of dust away from his face. Cordelia. Harry sighed. "I was in the car until the vampire politely asked if he could rip my throat out."

Cordelia blinked.

"Politely?"

Harry nodded his head as he grabbed the steak off the ground where it had fallen. He turned his back on Cordelia and headed back toward the car.

"Hey." Cordelia called out, as she quickly moved to follow. "This isn't over. You can't just--"

"Yes. I. know. It's dangerous. I'm needed." Harry rattled off annoyed. "You know, no one had a problem with me fighting off that demon that attacked us two nights ago."

"That was different and you know it, Harry." Cordelia responded, "You were able to use magic on it."

Harry stopped suddenly as he was pulling the car door open.

"You don't have magic and you still fight vampires" He countered.

"Yes, but I'm not the--" She froze.

"Chosen one." Harry finished for her. Finally, he looked her in the eyes. "No, I get it. I do. There's a war to fight. I have to be alive to do that."

He stopped and looked down at the cuts on his knuckles.

"But I don't know how..." He trailed off as he looked out at the street around him.

"You don't know how _not_ to fight." She couldn't take her eyes off him. A small boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders. She stared, half in awe at the teen standing across from her and half in pity. Except, the look on his face. It was heart wrenching. He looked like he could cry at any moment and yet there was this strength in those eyes of his. It just made you believe that he _really_ was the only one that could do what everyone had been claiming his entire life, only he could do. His eyes made her think the stories she had heard about snakes and Dementors were true.

To be honest when she had first been told of a little black haired boy facing down a giant snake, she had been skeptical. Okay, she had flat out not believed it, but come on _Buffy_ had barely managed to survive her own run in with a giant snake and she was expected to believe that a twelve year old boy could do with nothing but a sword, what Buffy could only do with a school full of explosives? Not to mention that his snake could kill simply by _looking_ at a person. _Yeah_. She had been skeptical. Right fully so, she thought.

Harry opened his mouth only to close it again. He didn't know what to say. He wanted to thank her for understanding, for being so kind to him the last two months. Instead he slid into the car and closed the door.

"Just drive."

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Harry sat curled up against the headboard on his bed. His open transfiguration book lied forgotten next to him. Idly, he twirled his half eaten sugar quill between his fingers. He knew he should be studying, but he couldn't take his mind off his friends impending visit. He hadn't seen Ron or Hermione in a little over a month. He missed them terribly since he was not allowed to write to them as he normally would have.

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in."

A brown haired man with glasses opened the door. He carried containers of what was fast becoming Harry's favorite food.

"You didn't come down for dinner, so I thought I would bring it up to you." Wesley sat the food on the bed and handed Harry a set of chop sticks. Picking up his own set, Wesley looked questioningly at the boy before him. "Do you mind if I eat with you?"

"It's fine." Harry smiled, digging into the food.

"How is your essay coming?" Wesley questioned.

Harry looked up blankly. Raising his eyebrows Wesley nodded toward the open transfiguration book and the empty parchment on the bed.

"I should probably get started on that." Harry blushed. "Hermione will have my head if it's not finished when she gets here."

Harry watched as Wesley sat his container of food onto the night stand next to the bed.

"Harry, Cordelia told me what happened tonight." Wesley said, watching his reaction carefully. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Harry said abruptly, barely letting Wesley finish his sentence. He guessed Wesley wanted to talk about his conversation with Cordelia rather than Harry killing the vampire. He just wasn't in the mood. He picked up his finished Chinese containers and walked out of his room.

He nearly walked right into Angel and Cordelia hovering outside his doorway. Stopping short he caught his balance with a hand against the wall. Harry squinted as he looked between the two trying to decipher if they had been eavesdropping or not. By the guilty looks on there faces he knew the answer. Rolling his eyes he moved to walk around them, but was stopped when his arm was caught by a strong hand. Harry shivered as the hand slid down his bare arm till it rested on his hand. Harry's eyes darted up to meet Angel's dark brown gaze. His breath caught.

Something inside of him told him he shouldn't be angry with them. That they were simply worried for him. Still, he jerked his hand away from Angel's cold one. Sighing he looked back in the room at Wesley still sitting forlornly on the bed.

"I don't want to talk." He said quietly.

"Alright." Wesley sighed as he rose from the bed. "There is however something else we need to talk about."

"What?" Harry questioned nervously.

"Your friends aren't going to be able to come visit." Wesley spoke hesitatingly. He knew how much Harry was looking forward to seeing his friends.

Harry took a deep breath, than another and another.

"Why?" He asked, when he finally felt he could open his mouth without screaming.

"Apparently the Death Eaters have been intercepting Portkeys."

"Intercepting?" Startled, he asked "How?!"

"Dumbledore doesn't know yet," Cordelia piped up. "but he doesn't think that they are able to intercept _all_ Portkeys, just target certain ones."

"He thinks it would be risky to send your friends through a Portkey right now, considering..." Wesley trailed off.

"You'll see them soon, Harry." Angel finally spoke.

"Yup, they might have found a way to intercept the untraceable Portkeys, but Dumbledore is working on a way to make the interceptable previously untraceable Portkeys, uninterceptable _and_ untraceable. Again." Cordelia stated reassuringly, with a smile.

Harry blinked. Than he turned around, walked back into his room and closed the door.

The three left in the hallway stared at the closed door.

tbc...

AN: Umm.. Wow. 78 reviews on 2 chapters. Just wow! **Thank You all SO MUCH!!!** So okay, long wait for an update. Gosh, I don't even know what inspired this, I haven't been reading ANY HP or Angel fic lately.

AN 2: Does anyone know what year Angel lived in the hotel when it was still running?

AN 3: Random: Are sugar quills meant to write with as well as eat? Oh, well they are in this fic.


	4. Chapter 3

AN: *HIDES BEHIND SOMETHING REALLY BIG* I have no excuses. Just read and try to ignore any urges to maim me…

Long after his talk with the others, Harry is sitting at the desk in his room, with a piece of parchment in front of him. He's been doodling for hours. Nothing of importance, just meaningless shapes and designs, a word here or there, his mind isn't really on the task, so he's extremely surprised at what he sees when he looks at the parchment.

_That's new. _Harry thought wryly.

It looks like the ingredients to a potion. The dark haired boy almost wishes he had paid better attention in potions class. Almost. He doesn't recognize half the ingredients. _Ugh. He feels a headache coming on already._

With a long suffering sigh he goes to fetch the special parchment Dumbledore gave him for just these occasions. The young wizard writes in vivid detail everything he can remember about his almost trance like state, as well as relaying what he had written on the other piece of parchment. When he's finished he is fairly certain he covered everything Dumbledore would want to know.

Harry put his wand to the insignia and watched blankly as the words disappeared.

* * *

Later in the night, the hotel was quiet when Harry slipped from room. A muffling charm kept the sound of his feet hitting the floor, from reaching the ears of a certain vampire. He didn't bother sticking to the shadows as he passed the office where the members of Angel Investigations could be seen huddled around a large book, his invisibility cloak kept him well hidden. When he stepped outside he breathed in a deep breath of the fresh air. It's been a while since he was last out by himself. With a sense of freedom, he thought, just maybe, he'll be able to sneak back inside without anyone ever realizing he was gone.

Of course, then he turned the corner on the sidewalk and ran smack into Angel. _Okay,_ Harry thinks, _maybe it was wishful thinking._

Without saying a word Harry gave Angel a dirty look, than walked around him and continued on down the street, with Angel following close behind the young wizard; unbothered by the fact that Harry is doing everything in his power to ignore him.

Eventually, Harry slowed down enough to walk next to the dark hair vampire.

"You smelled me, right?" Harry questioned when he could no longer stand the silence.

"You should have used the kitchen entrance." The Vampire replied with a smirk. "I would have assumed you were getting something to eat."

"Thanks for the tip." Harry grinned, "I'll do that next time."

"Where are we headed?" Angel questioned.

"Just... away." Harry sighed.

Angel nodded.

"For a little while, anyway." Harry said under his breath, looking around wistfully at the empty street.

* * *

Harry felt grateful to Angel as they walked around the city. The vampire seemed to understand that Harry was in no mood to talk. He didn't ask useless questions, about what inspired the need for Harry to get away or try to make small talk. He just let Harry... be.

Harry didn't normally know how to act around the other man. To be honest he made Harry kind of nervous, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why, but still, this was nice in a way. He felt oddly safe as he strolled through the streets of LA. However, safety wasn't a feeling Harry was used too and he found it perplexing. He needed to have a talk with Hermione.

They walked around the city for nearly an hour before heading back.

* * *

"Harder, Harry." Angel said as he lowered his arm. The hit had been fast, yes, but there wasn't nearly enough strength behind it.

"That _was_ hard." Harry scowled.

The young, black haired wizard leaned forward on his right foot and shot a fist at Angel's ribs.

"No." Angel danced out of the way, "You're leaning into your punch. I can see it coming before you even throw it."

Harry stepped sideways and made Angel turn, then he feinted left with his right arm and just as he was about to strike a hit with his left arm, Angel reached out to grab it in order to block the hit. Pulling his arm out of reach, the dark haired boy lost his balance and tripped over his own foot.

Harry growled from his position on the floor.

"Are you alright?" Angel questioned, with a laugh.

Harry glared up at him. _That's it I'm never moving again,_ he thought silently_. I will lie hear forever in shame._

"Why do I suck at this?" Harry questioned taken aback, "I mean, I'm great at Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"You just need more practice" The Vampire reasoned his laughter fading as he realized how upset Harry was.

"I've had practice!" Harry cried, suddenly sitting up, "Two months of it. I'm not getting any better."

"That's not true." Angel said soothingly, trying to calm the boy down. "Cordy said you dusted a Vampire."

"That was pure luck, Angel, and you know it!" Harry laughed bitterly, "He practically walked onto the stake. Seriously, I should be getting better at this."

"I know." Angel agreed, looking off into the distance. He had noticed for a while, actually. The situation was puzzling, to say the least.

Harry's head shot up to look at Angel.

Angel turned his head to look down at the boy before him, and then he sat down on the floor across from him.

Startled at just how close the vampire was to him, Harry stared at him. Mentally shaking himself, Harry blinked, breaking the staring contest. "…Yes?"

Angel smirked, "Give me your hand."

"What?" Harry squawked. He cleared his throat, and then repeated himself.

Angel held out his hand for Harry to place his own into, "I'm not going to be able to teach you anything about fighting if you won't even touch me, Harry."

Tbc…

Hello lovely readers,

Okay, I know not much went on, plot wise, in this chapter, but I wanted to get it out to let you all know I'm working on it! I promise! Oh, and yeah, please review and let me know how you think the Angel/Harry interaction is setting up? Do you like it? Do you not like it? It's not gonna happen fast, but it will happen. No worries!

More to come… Love ya!

Xoxo,

'Ria


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